A SPECTACULAR steam engine will travel through Worcestershire on a trip around the Welsh Borders on Saturday.

West Country Class Pacific engine number 34046 Braunton will pass through Worcester, Malvern, Evesham, Ledbury and the Cotswolds during the scenic trip on May 17.

The train, which is operated by Icons of Steam – an organisation dedicated to preserving British steam locomotives – will leave Bristol Temple Meads station at about 7.10am, passing though Gloucester and along the Golden Valley Line before travelling though the Cotswold Hills.

The 67-foot, 91-ton locomotive will take the Great Western Main Line towards Oxford before joining the Cotswold Line though Charlbury, Kingham and Moreton-in-Marsh.

Passing through Evesham at about 1.30pm, the train will arrive at Worcester Shrub Hill station at about 1.50pm, where passengers will have about two and half hours to enjoy the Faithful City.

Leaving Worcester at 4.30pm, the vehicle will continue through Malvern, Ledbury and Hereford before crossing the border into Wales and stopping at the Severn Tunnel Junction for Gloucester passengers to depart, before continuing through to Bristol Temple Meads.

Number 34046 Braunton was built in 1946 in Brighton and was withdrawn from service in late 1965 after accumulating 779,210 miles.

After lying untouched for decades, the locomotive – which has a maximum speed of 75 mph – began carrying passengers again last August.